Tails wag at Bark for Life cancer benefit

Lucy, a 6-year-old Great Dane belonging to the Saucier family, gets to know her distant cousin Lucy, owned by Barry Brown of Horse Shoe, during the fifth annual Bark for Life event Saturday in Hendersonville.

Published: Saturday, June 22, 2013 at 4:09 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, June 22, 2013 at 4:09 p.m.

Jennifer Vachon began Saturday's Bark for Life benefit walk down Main Street with a heavy heart. Walking with her team, “Sully's Survivors,” every step reminded her of the Great Pyrenees she lost to salivary gland carcinoma last August.

“I wasn't even sure I could come today,” Vachon admitted, as she stepped briskly behind Sam, a 3-year-old Pyrenees who weighs 140 pounds. Like her dearly departed Sully, Sam was a rescue dog.

“At eight weeks, they're all cute and fuzzy,” she said, her face brightening. “People think they're little snowballs. Then they grow into this: big, drool-y and very hairy.”

Five years ago, Vachon co-founded the Hendersonville “Bark for Life” benefit with Laurel Park resident Jim Ariatti. When the two met at a Relay for Life kickoff, Vachon — herself a two-time cancer survivor — was grieving over the double-whammy of losing her grandfather to lung cancer and Sully's recent diagnosis.

The two friends and their big white dogs helped launch the first Bark for Life at Patton Park in 2009, attracting about 65 participants. The next year's event brought double that number and raised more than $10,000. Sully was there for each one, even as he struggled with the loss of his ear, his saliva glands and his tail to tumors.

In his memory, “Sully's Survivors” covered a mile of Main Street Saturday and sold frozen dog treats, pins, temporary tattoos and doggie pedicures from a tent in front of the Historic Courthouse, raising more than $1,000 for the fight against cancer.

They were one of 10 teams that brought in more than $10,000 for the American Cancer Society this year. Funds were gathered from registration fees, team sponsorships, a silent auction and a rabies clinic. FastCat photography studio and Art MoB Studios kicked in the proceeds from pet portraits, while Falderal Winery held a charity wine tasting.

“The more money we raise, the less heartache we have to have,” said event chair Stephanie Bennett, who works as a veterinary assistant at Health Care for Pets in Mills River. Bennett started volunteering with Relay for Life after her grandfather died of lung cancer, and she took over organizing Bark for Life from Vachon and Ariatti last year.

The Hendersonville Kennel Club was the event's biggest team fundraiser, besting its goal of $1,775 by more than $70. The club solicited donations through its newsletter and email list and received “a chunk of change” from local veterinarians and dog lovers, said President Judith Smith.

Although the funds raised go towards cancer research for humans, Smith pointed out there's a “trickle-down effect” that applies to animal cancers.

“Most of the most common cancers, like melanomas, are found in dogs,” Smith said. “Any research they do will help all of us in the long run.”

As she walked her two golden retrievers down Main, breast cancer survivor Leanne Groban credited her sister, local artist Mona Groban, and their four dogs with helping her through her ordeal.

“I was early detection, so I'm a big believer in mammography,” said Groban, who splits her time between a home near DuPont State Recreational Forest and Winston-Salem. “My sister was my caregiver while I was recovering at home in Winston-Salem. She and the dogs were by my side through it all.”

<p>Jennifer Vachon began Saturday's Bark for Life benefit walk down Main Street with a heavy heart. Walking with her team, “Sully's Survivors,” every step reminded her of the Great Pyrenees she lost to salivary gland carcinoma last August.</p><p>“I wasn't even sure I could come today,” Vachon admitted, as she stepped briskly behind Sam, a 3-year-old Pyrenees who weighs 140 pounds. Like her dearly departed Sully, Sam was a rescue dog.</p><p>“At eight weeks, they're all cute and fuzzy,” she said, her face brightening. “People think they're little snowballs. Then they grow into this: big, drool-y and very hairy.”</p><p>Five years ago, Vachon co-founded the Hendersonville “Bark for Life” benefit with Laurel Park resident Jim Ariatti. When the two met at a Relay for Life kickoff, Vachon — herself a two-time cancer survivor — was grieving over the double-whammy of losing her grandfather to lung cancer and Sully's recent diagnosis.</p><p>The two friends and their big white dogs helped launch the first Bark for Life at Patton Park in 2009, attracting about 65 participants. The next year's event brought double that number and raised more than $10,000. Sully was there for each one, even as he struggled with the loss of his ear, his saliva glands and his tail to tumors.</p><p>In his memory, “Sully's Survivors” covered a mile of Main Street Saturday and sold frozen dog treats, pins, temporary tattoos and doggie pedicures from a tent in front of the Historic Courthouse, raising more than $1,000 for the fight against cancer.</p><p>They were one of 10 teams that brought in more than $10,000 for the American Cancer Society this year. Funds were gathered from registration fees, team sponsorships, a silent auction and a rabies clinic. FastCat photography studio and Art MoB Studios kicked in the proceeds from pet portraits, while Falderal Winery held a charity wine tasting.</p><p>“The more money we raise, the less heartache we have to have,” said event chair Stephanie Bennett, who works as a veterinary assistant at Health Care for Pets in Mills River. Bennett started volunteering with Relay for Life after her grandfather died of lung cancer, and she took over organizing Bark for Life from Vachon and Ariatti last year.</p><p>The Hendersonville Kennel Club was the event's biggest team fundraiser, besting its goal of $1,775 by more than $70. The club solicited donations through its newsletter and email list and received “a chunk of change” from local veterinarians and dog lovers, said President Judith Smith.</p><p>Although the funds raised go towards cancer research for humans, Smith pointed out there's a “trickle-down effect” that applies to animal cancers.</p><p>“Most of the most common cancers, like melanomas, are found in dogs,” Smith said. “Any research they do will help all of us in the long run.”</p><p>As she walked her two golden retrievers down Main, breast cancer survivor Leanne Groban credited her sister, local artist Mona Groban, and their four dogs with helping her through her ordeal.</p><p>“I was early detection, so I'm a big believer in mammography,” said Groban, who splits her time between a home near DuPont State Recreational Forest and Winston-Salem. “My sister was my caregiver while I was recovering at home in Winston-Salem. She and the dogs were by my side through it all.” </p><p>Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than.axtell@blueridgenow.com.</p>